Scan 35
Groves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians,vol.4, Ed.3, 1908
16 lines. Read by computer on 18 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1PAESIELLO
3flowing, his melody suave and pleasing, his form correct, and in simple compositions finished, although not developed to the fullest extent. Like all the other Italian composers of his time he had the gift of true comedy. In lyric expression he was also successful, as here his Italian love of sweet sounds stood him in good stead; but he was completely wanting in the force and depth necessary for passionate, pathetic, or heroic music, and when such was required he fell back upon common opera phrases and stock passages. This is perhaps most apparent in the operas composed after he left Italy, when his acquaintance with German music, especially that of Mozart, may have influenced his style. His treatment of the orchestra was original and remarkable, and his instrumentation very effective. The partial success only of the operas composed during his stay in Paris is easily explained; he had not sufficient means of expression to attempt French opera, and in Italian opera he could not contend with Rossini, whose genius, with its indifference to the trammels of form, and its exuberant melody, fairly captivated the public. Forty operas are enumerated in Q.-L. Paër also composed much for church and chamber—oratorios ('Il santo sepolcro,' and 'La Passione'), masses, motets, cantatas for one and more voices; also instrumental music, a Bacchanalian symphony, etc., now of historical interest only. A. M.
5PAESIELLO, GIOV., see PAESIELLO.
7PAGANINI, NICCOLO (b. Genoa, Oct. 27, 1782; d. Nice, May 27, 1840), violinist, first of virtuosi.
9Paganini's father, Antonio, was connected in a humble capacity with the large export shipping interests of Genoa. He was a musical enthusiast, played the mandoline with skill, and gave his son rudimentary instruction in violin-playing. The undue severity which characterised the child's earliest training undoubtedly undermined his fragile constitution. Had the future prince of violinists been endowed with less fervour for his art, the incidents of his home life might have cut short his artistic career; but, fortunately, he was imbued with a firm determination to become an artist, and his mother nourished the resolve by her frequent recital of a dream, wherein an angel had promised her that her son should become the greatest violinist in the world. Paganini swiftly exhausted the slender paternal musical knowledge, and was handed over to Servetto, a violinist in the theatre orchestra, and two years later became a pupil of Giacomo Costa, maestro di cappella of the Cathedral of St. Lorenzo. In 1793, at the age of 9, Paganini made his début at a concert given by the great singer Luigi Marchesi and the cantatrice Madame Albertinotti at the principal theatre of Genoa. He followed up this first appearance with a benefit concert, at which he was assisted in return by the same two artists. On both occasions he played his own variations upon the French patriotic air, 'La Carmagnole,' and roused his audience to a great degree of enthusiasm. These early successes served to strengthen his father's crafty zeal on his behalf, and caused him to accept Costa's proposition that the child should play a solo in church every Sunday. In after life Paganini attached much importance to the rigour of these weekly performances, which enforced the constant study of new works. While under Costa's tuition the boy made the acquaintance of Francesco Gnecco, a distinguished operatic composer of the day, to whom he was indebted for much valuable advice.
11At length the time arrived when, in turn, Costa's teaching became inadequate, and Paganini's father decided to take his son to Alessandro Rolla, a celebrated violinist, conductor and composer then residing at Parma. The following advertisement, printed and circulated together with the play-bills of coming performances, gives a clue to the manner in which the funds were raised for the journey:
13'July 25, 1795, Niccolo Paganini of Genoa, a boy already known to his country for his skill in handling the violin, having determined to study at Parma to improve his talents under the direction of the renowned Signor Rolla, but lacking the means to do so, has adopted this plan, and has taken courage to beg his compatriots to contribute towards this object, inviting them to come to this entertainment for his benefit.'
15The concert proving remunerative, Antonio Paganini and his son accordingly travelled to Parma, and, upon their arrival, presented themselves at Rolla's residence. They found him ill in bed, and pending his wife's inquiry as to whether he would see them they were ushered into an adjoining room. On a table lay a violin and the composer's latest concerto. At a command from his father Niccolo took up the instrument and played the music at sight with such wonderful precision that Rolla forgot his indisposition, and, raising himself in bed, eagerly demanded the name of the professor he had just heard. 'Tis a child,' was the reply. But he would not believe this until Paganini was brought to him. 'I can teach you nothing,' he is reported to have said, and advised the father to take his son to Paër, for instruction in composition. However, Rolla did teach Paganini for several months; and Paër being then in Germany the boy went to Paër's master, Ghiretti, and during six months received three lessons a week from him. He composed twenty-four fugues, unaided by any musical instrument, and devoted much labour to the study of instrumentation. This excellent knowledge of various instruments stood him in good stead some years later, when a wealthy Swedish amateur relieved Paganini's poverty by rewarding him handsomely for a set of compositions for his favourite instrument,
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